386 x NEW-ENGLAND. 



The Seas round New-England, as well as its rivers, abound with 

 fish and whales of different kinds. At the mouth of the river Penob- 

 scot, there is a mackarel fishery; they likewise fish for cod in the 

 winter, which they dry in the frost. 



Population, inhabitants... .New England contained, according 

 to the census of 1790, 1,009,522 souls; according to that of 1800, 

 1,233,011; and according to that of 1810, 1,471,973. 



The New-Englanders are generally tall, stout, and well built. 

 They glory in possessing that spirit of freedom, which induced their 

 ancestors to leave their native country, and to brave the dangers of 

 the ocean, and the hardships of settling in a wilderness. Their edu- 

 cation, laws, and situation, serve to inspire them with high notions of 

 liberty. In New-England, learning is very generally diffused among 

 all ranks of people, from the excellent establishment of schools in 

 every township. A person of mature age, who cannot both read and 

 write, is rarely to be found. 



The inhabitants of New-England are almost universally of English 

 descent : and it is owing to this circumstance, and to the great and 

 general attention that has been paid to education, that the English 

 language has been preserved among them so free of corruption. It 

 is true, that from laziness, inattention, and want of acquaintance 

 with mankind, many of the people in the country have accustomed 

 themselves to use some peculiar phrases, and to pronounce certain 

 words in a flat, drawling manner. Hence foreigners pretend they 

 know a New-England man from his manner of speaking; but the 

 same may be said with regard to a Pennsylvanian, a Virginian, or a 

 Carolinian; for all have some phrases and modes of pronunciation pe- 

 culiar to themselves, which distinguish them from their neighbours. 



Religion.... Calvinism, from the principles of the first settlers, has 

 been very prevalent in New-England : many of the inhabitants also 

 formerly observed the sabbath with a kind of Jewish rigour; but this 

 has of late been much diminished. There is at pi'esent no established 

 religion in New-England; but every Christian is allowed the free ex- 

 ercise of his religion, and is equally under the protection of the laws- 

 They annually celebrate fasts and thanksgivings. In the spring, the 

 several governors issue their proclamations, appointing a day to be re- 

 ligiously observed in fasting, humiliation, and prayer, throughout their 

 respective states, in which the predominating vices, that particularly 

 call for humiliation, are enumerated. In autumn, after harvest, that 

 gladsome aera of the husbandman's life, a day of public thanksgiving 

 is appointed, enumerating the public blessings received in the course 

 of the year. This pious custom originated with their venerable an- 

 cestors, the first settlers. The custom, so rational, and so well cal- 

 culated to cherish in the minds of the people a sense of their depend- 

 ence on the Great Benefactor of the world for all their blessings, it is 

 hoped, will ever be sacredly preserved.* Connecticut has provided a 

 bishop for the episcopalians among them, by sending one of their 

 number to Scotland to be ordained by the nonjuring bishops of the 

 episcopal church in that kingdom. 



History... .As early as 1606, king James I, had, by letters patent, 

 erected two companies, with a power to send colonies into those 

 parts, then comprehended under the general name of Virginia, as 

 all the north-east coast of America was sometimes called. No settle- 



* Morse's American Geography. 



